The origins of Chintokan Karate Do are found in “Kyan Ti,” or Kiyatake-Ha Shorin Ryu, which was Chotoku Kyan’s version of Shorin ryu Karate. Kyan Ti, which is not the formal name of his style, is a blend of several classical Okinawa fighting methods, including Tomari Te, Shuri Te and Bojutsu (6 ft staff).

Right Photo - Chotoku Kyan

His father, Chofu Kyan, who also learned Ti from Sokon (Bushi) Matsumura, is said to have been Chotoku Kyan’s first Ti teacher.

Kosaku (Bushi) Matsumora - Tomari Te

“Ti” – Te

Te, pronounced as “ti” in Okinawan, was the term used for these fighting methods at the time, and literally translates as “hand.” Ti is, of course, one of the two root words that comprise “kara te.” Tomari, Shuri and Naha are all names of villages, ancient and current capitals of Okinawa.

Additionally, Soke Hosho Shiokawa took a great personal interest in the development of Budo outside of Japan, and made many trips from Shimonoseki, Japan to the USA Chintokan Dojo in order to teach us Iaido, Jodo as well as Shito Ryu Karate. Soke Hosho Shiokawa’s karate teacher was Shito Ryu founder - Kenwa Mabuni as well as Kosei Kukuba, who was a student of the legendary Choki Motobu (Photo to the right). Kosei Kokuba is father of Soke Shogo Kuniba (1935~1992).

Chotoku Kyan in his time was one of most essential figures in Okinawa karate as many of his students became great masters and created their own styles.

Many but not all are called Shorin Ryu with different "Kanji" writings and their meanings. One of these students was Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro, who founded the "Seibukan” school.

It was during this time a particular type of Shorin(ji) Ryu style name was introduced by its originators Zenryo Shimabukuro, Juen Nakazato and Isamu Tamotsu.

This alliance was formed for a short period of time and it was an attempt to represent the main voice of Kyan Ti line. However this pact was resolved shortly after and Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro left the group and dropped the ji at the end of Shorinji and renamed his style to "Shorin Ryu," subsequently Juen Nakazato became the new So Honke of this Shorinji Ryu line.

This is how our Shorin Ryu name was created and handed down to us. Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro is said to have been the student who was trained by Chotoku Kyan for the longest time, and once he was chosen to demonstrate a kata on his behalf. Soke Masaharu Sakimukai, the founder of our “Chintokan” Karate Do, had the great privilege to learn from Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro, and benefited greatly from his extremely rigorous training. He had earned "Shihan Menjo" and 4 Dan in 1962 and then 6 Dan and Renshi title in 1969 from Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro.

BIRTH OF CHINTOKAN

Photo taken byWalter Dailey Sensei

Soke Samkimukai’s relationship with the Shimabukuro Family began with Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro’s nephew Shihan Zenji Shimabukuro, who first introduced Kyan’s Shorin Ryu Seibukan style of Karate to Soke Sakimukai. In early 1960’s they were roommates in Jyusho, Osaka, thus trained together every night (sometimes all night) at home and throughout the neighborhood.

During this time, they shared another responsibility together, which was managing of a Karate dojo. Their goal was to bring Seibukan Karate presence to the mainland of Japan, started in Osaka.

Permission to open the Shorin Ryu Kansai Honbu Dojo, (a joint regional headquarters dojo) was granted to Soke Sakimukai, Shihan Zenji Shimabukuro, and Shihan Koriyama by Hanshi Zenryo Shimbakuro in 1962. However, to Soke Sakimukai’s surprise they were not given permission to use the Seibukan name for their dojo. This fact makes the Shorin Ryu Kansai Dojo stand out as the very beginning of what would become a Chintokan legacy distinct from Seibukan. Within a few years of its founding, Shihan Zenji Shimabukuro returned to Okinawa and Shihan Koriyama also left the dojo, leaving Soke Masaharu Sakimukai exclusive Shihan in charge of the Shorin Ryu Kansai Honbu Dojo. In February 1969, Shihan Zenji Shimabukuro recommended and Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro authorized a new dojo name. It was to be called “CHINTOKAN"

In October 1969, Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro unexpectedly passed away, which left Soke Masaharu Sakimukai to follow a path of his own making. Just two months earlier, in August, Soke was granted permission to register his Chintokan dojo with "Renbukai" the original Zen Nippon Karate do Renmei (led by Kanken Toyama) “presently known as Zen Nippon Karate do Renmei - Renbukai" by Hanshi Zenryo Shimabukuro. Soke Sakimukai served as Chief Director for the Southern Kagoshima prefecture Renbukai until he moved to the United States with his family in 1980. For the next 30 years in the US, Soke Sakimukai concentrated on developing the elite Karate athletes as well as the next generation of Budo masters. He was also highly regarded “WUKO” International Kata and Kumite competition judge. Soke remained connected with Renbukai via current Zen Nippon Karate do Renmei (All Japan Karate Do Federation: JKF) until he passed away in 2010.

Soke Sakimukai had incorporated Strength and the Gentleness of other Japanese traditions such as Nihon Buyo (Japanese Dance), Sado (Tea Ceremony) and Kado (Flower Arrangement), as well as other budo including Iaido, Jodo and Okinawa Kobudo into every aspect of his life and training, thus ultimately this life lead to the BIRTH of another Distinctive Kyan's Ti Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do, the way of CHINTOKAN.

PRESENT

Soke's widow Dojocho T. Sakimukai began her training at Kaseda Shibu (Branch) in Kagoshima, and Soke's son SoShihan Y. Sakimukai started at Makurazaki Dojo in Kagoshima, they both began under Soke M. Sakimukai in 1973. In 2007, when Soke M. Sakimukai performed his last Karate do, Jodo and his signature bamboo breaking demonstrations with SoShihan Y. Sakimukai and dozens of Chintokan students for the Masters of the Rising Sun event in New York (Hosted by the Beikoku ShihanKai - Grand Master Hidy Ochiai), Y. Sakimukai realized it was time to come home. Five months later in 2008, Y. Sakimukai returned to Jacksonville, FL with his family from Los Angeles. Subsequently, he was promoted to "So Shihan" and his new responsibility became succeeding chief instructor and chief examiner for Soke M. Sakimukai's Budo organizations. In 2010, Dojocho T. Sakimukai received 8 Dan and Hanshi, at simultaneously Y. Sakimukai received 7 Dan and Kyoshi and those were Soke M. Sakimukai's last promotions. When Soke M. Sakimukai passed away, the lineage was passed on to his widow Dojocho T. Sakimukai as the Chairman of Kokusai Chintokan Karate-do Renmei and his son SoShihan Y. Sakimukai as the next Soke. Soke M. Sakimukai had told his son to support Dojocho T. Sakimukai and the dojo. Together with Soke’s “Choku Deshi” and the new So Budo Kai members worldwide, we base our world headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida USA, to continue exploring, preserving and promoting Sakimukai's family legacy of classical Okinawan and traditional samurai arts.